Taking a quick look at all the uprisings in last few decades, not only in Iran but also across the Middle East, we can observe that the new wave of civil resistance in Iran has been more successful than prior efforts. The Green Revolution in Iran was driven by political demands, with the motto, “Where is my vote?” That movement took place only in some of Iran’s megacities, where most of the participants were from the middle class and higher. Same with the Arab Spring, which was a series of pro-democracy movements that took place in some Arab countries such as Tunisia, Morocco, Syria, Libya, Egypt, and Bahrain.

This new wave of protest in Iran is based on tangible demands, and as such, it may well bring more success for the movement and more changes to the country more broadly. So far, unable to dent the increase in prices and other economic troubles, the president of Iran has legitimized protesters’ complaints. As more diverse populations, in terms of age, social class, and geographic location are joining the movement, it will be difficult for the government to curb mobilizations. This new wave may not bring sudden and great change, but it is certainly undermining the government’s legitimacy in the eyes of many Iranian people.